Personal appliance for producing water vapor

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a portable device for effecting a desired environment proximate to the device. The effected environment includes, in part, temporary increases in the amount of water vapor as the device emits water vapor over some time duration, typically from about 1 or 2 minutes or so to about 15 to 30 minutes or so (other durations are possible). Heat from a chemical heating engine is employed to drive off the water vapor. The device may also emit one or more ingredients adapted to be detected by olfaction. The device may be used to help address symptoms of various ailments, e.g., cold, flu, allergies, sinusitis, and the like. Also, the device may be employed to help promote a desired emotive state for the user of the device. The device promotes one or more desired states through auditory, tactile, visual, and/or olfactory signals. Furthermore, the device may be used to open pores in skin; or to treat skin or tissue.

BACKGROUND

People rely on health, hygiene, and wellness products as part of theireveryday lives.

Some people use devices to introduce heat, moisture, aromatic materials,or some combination thereof, to the air. Some devices are powered byelectricity. For example, people plug electrical air fresheners in toelectrical outlets to activate the device, thereby releasing aromaticmaterials. Or people plug electrical humidifiers in to electricaloutlets to humidify a room. Other devices release volatile materialsover time without the use of electrical energy. For example, stick-upair fresheners generally have a plastic housing that may be opened toexpose an internal cake that, over time, volatilizes to releasematerials that can be smelled. People also burn incense to introduce apleasing aroma to a room.

Each of these products works to some degree. But none are adapted tofunction as a portable appliance for effecting a desired environmentcomprising water vapor.

What is needed is a portable container that can be activated by a userof the container and which, when activated, releases water vapor, plusany optional ingredients, into the environment proximate to the locationof the portable container. The portable container can be employed to,for example: help address the symptoms of variousupper-respiratory-health ailments including, for example, the commoncold, flu, allergies, sinus problems, and the like; help promote adesired emotional or psychological state including, for example, thosestates commonly associated with undergoing an experience at aspa—characterized by terms such as peace, harmony, simplicity,refreshing, recharging, getting away, and the like; and/or help provideheat energy to parts of the body (potentially due in part to thecondensation of water vapor on skin, on tissue, or on a substrateenveloping skin or tissue-e.g., proximate to a knee, elbow, ankle, neck,face, etc.), which may help alleviate pain or other symptoms ofarthritis, muscle or joint problems, or help open the pores of, orotherwise treat, the skin; and the like.

SUMMARY

We have developed a portable appliance for personal use that employschemical energy to heat, and release to the nearby environment, watervapor and any optional materials (e.g., aromatic materials). The devicemay be used for applications that include, but are not limited to:helping to address symptoms of various upper-respiratory healthailments, such as colds, allergies, flu, and the like; helping topromote a desired emotive state—e.g., by effecting a spa-like experiencethrough the release of vapor, release of aromas, the color of thedevice, the shape of the device, tactile sensations effected by thedevice's surface characteristics, tactile sensations effected by heat,visual queues through the release of a visually-detectable vapor, etc.;helping to alleviate pain, stiffness, or other such muscular, joint, ortissue/skin problems by directing heat energy (e.g., heated water vapor)to a portion of the body; and/or helping to open the pores of, or treat,skin or tissue of a user by directing heat energy to the skin or tissuea user wishes to treat.

One advantage of the invention is the device's portability, and thepossibility of effecting a change only in the vicinity of the device'slocation. Accordingly, for example, a person suffering from a cold orallergy could employ the device in a cubicle or office at work, withoutaffecting the broader environment (e.g., a user could activate thedevice at his or her desk in a work setting, and inhale the releasedvapor to help provide relief from congestion, without disturbing nearbyco-workers). Furthermore, after activating the device, and during thetime that the device is actively emitting water vapor and any optionalingredients, a user of the device can easily move the device to anotherlocation—i.e., the device is portable. Also, for some versions of theinvention, the device is disposable, and is therefore a convenient wayof addressing an ailment, helping produce an emotive state, or someother use.

The appliance comprises a chemical heating engine. The chemical heatingengine may be any combination of chemicals that, when exposed to liquidcomprising water, will release heat. The physical nature (e.g., particlesize and/or surface area if a solid) and amounts of the chemicals may beselected to release a specific amount of energy and/or to affect thekinetics of the reaction (i.e., to affect the amount of heat energybeing released over time).

It should be noted that the personal/portable vaporizer may be activatedby simply adding tap water to the device, i.e., the liquid comprisingwater is substantially water. But other liquids may be added, dependingon the end use. For example, chamomile tea might be added to thevaporizer, with water in the tea serving to activate the chemicalheating engine, and other ingredients in the tea providing a pleasingaroma, either alone, or, as discussed elsewhere, in combination with anyaromatic ingredient associated with the personal/portable vaporizeritself. Also, for some applications, a user may add an ingredient ormaterial, such as a perfume, to the inside of the container along withliquid comprising water. The additional ingredient or material can helpfurther provide aromas desired by a user of the personal vaporizer(e.g., if the user is seeking to help effect a desired emotive stateusing the personal vaporizer). Accordingly, in the paragraphs thatfollow, water is often referred to and discussed because a function ofthe personal vaporizer is to produce heat energy that is transferred tosome portion of the water so that water molecules transition from theliquid phase to the gas phase-i.e., produce water vapor. But it shouldbe understood that other materials or ingredients may be present,whether added separately by a user; or present in any water or liquidcomprising water added by a user of the personal vaporizer; or presentin any water or liquid comprising water contained in a rupturable cellwithin the personal vaporizer; or associated with components of thepersonal vaporizer itself.

In one version of the invention, the chemicals that react with water toproduce heat are contained in a water-permeable envelope. The envelopeis made of, e.g., a fibrous nonwoven substrate that contains thechemicals, but which allows water to pass through and react with thechemicals. Typically such envelopes are thin with little absorbentcapacity (i.e., the envelopes are adapted to be permeable to water, butnot absorb and hold significant amounts of water).

In one version of the invention, the chemicals are aluminum and calciumoxide. Other combinations are possible, of course (e.g., chemicalingredients that participate in exothermic acid-base neutralizationreactions; chemical ingredients having exothermic heats of solution;etc.). See, for example, a useful survey of chemical reactionssummarized in a January 2001 document by TDA Research, Inc., entitled“Applications of New Chemical Heat Sources Phase 1.” TDA Research Inc.is located in Wheat Ridge, Colo., and completed the cited evaluation ofheating chemistries for the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological ChemicalCommand in Natick Mass. Another example of a possible chemical heatengine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,257, entitled “Portable HeatSource,” which on its face issued on Jun. 19, 2001 to TDA Research, Inc.and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety in amanner consistent herewith. The disclosed heat engine includes a mixtureof calcium oxide and diphosphorous pentoxide. This combination ofmaterials would also provide a suitable amount of heat for a portablevaporizer. Another suitable chemical heat engine system would comprise amixture of aluminum chloride and calcium oxide.

The appliance also comprises a container, with the chemical heatingengine positioned in the container. In one version of the invention, thechemical heating engine is attached to the container. In another versionof the invention, the chemical heating engine is releasably engaged tothe container (so that, e.g., the container may be re-used by replacinga spent chemical heating engine with a new chemical heating engine).Also, in some versions of the invention, the combination of the chemicalheating engine and wick (described below), is releasably engaged to thecontainer.

Typically the appliance also contains a wick (but, as describedelsewhere, some versions of the present invention do not employ a wick;or combine the wick's function—to transport and hold liquid comprisingwater—with any liquid/water-permeable envelope's function of holding thechemical ingredients that participate in an exothermic reaction). In oneversion of the invention, the wick is made of a porous material (e.g., afibrous nonwoven material; or a cellulosic web material; or foam; orsome other substrate or web). In some versions of the invention, liquidcomprising water is added to the container, thereby activating thechemical heating engine to release heat. In those versions of theinvention in which the wick extends above the surface of the addedliquid, the liquid (again, this will, in many cases, be substantiallyall water, plus any additional ingredients in the water, or addedseparately to the container) may advance upward into the wick bycapillary action. Without being bound to a particular theory, we believethat the wick acts to increase the surface area to which water canadhere, thereby helping to increase the heat-driven vaporization of thewater. The amount of water vapor being driven off depends, in part, onthe total surface area of water in the container.

Furthermore, and again without being limited to the followingexplanation, we believe that the wick, by increasing the amount of waterproximate to that portion of a chemical heating engine extending abovethe surface of any pool of water in the container, helps moderate therate of production of water vapor. The water in the wick acts as a heatsink, absorbing heat generated by the chemical engine. Over time thetemperature of the water in the wick is increased due to heat transferfrom the chemical engine, eventually reaching a temperature at whichwater molecules leave the liquid phase and enter the gas phase.Vaporized water leaving the wick is replaced by liquid water transportedinto the wick from any liquid pool in the container. Thus the wick helpsmoderate the kinetics of vapor production so that vaporization occursover a desired time period. For those versions of the inventionemploying a wick, water vapor is typically produced from about 1 minuteto about 60 minutes; suitably from about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes;particularly from about 2 minutes to about 15 minutes; and more suitablyfrom about 1 minute to about 7 minutes (starting from the time at whichwater is first poured into the container; or from the time at whichwater is released from a rupturable cell within the container). Someversions of the invention are such that vapor is produced for relativelyshort durations, depending on the use for which the personal vaporizeris being employed. Shorter-duration releases of vapor will typicallyoccur when a wick is not employed, and any water-permeable envelopecontaining the chemical ingredients is relatively thin and of lowbasis-weight such that it is not capable of holding sufficient water tomoderate the kinetics of the exothermic reaction. So for example, insome versions of the invention, water vapor is produced from about 1minute to about 5 minutes; and suitably from about 1 minute to about 3minutes (starting from the time at which water is first poured into thecontainer).

If a chemical heating engine comprising chemical ingredients encased ina liquid/water-permeable envelope is employed, then a wick may alsoserve to reduce the amount of water absorbing into, or being transportedalong, the chemical ingredients and/or water-permeable envelope. This isespecially true where the wick is made of a substrate, such as ahigh-bulk cellulosic substrate, that is adapted to draw in, and hold,amounts of water greater than that which can be drawn into and held bythe chemical ingredients and any water-permeable envelope encasing theingredients. In effect, the network of pores defined by the wick isadapted, by capillary or other forces, to draw in, and hold by virtue ofthe volume associated with these pores, more water than the porousnetwork defined by the chemical ingredients and any water-permeableenvelope encasing the ingredients. As a result, the rate at which heatis generated is moderated or reduced, because the rate at which water isbeing drawn into the chemical engine is reduced.

In some versions of the invention, the appliance employs additional,optional ingredients. For example, in those instances where theappliance is adapted to help address the symptoms of a cold, allergy, orother upper-respiratory ailment (e.g., congestion), the appliance mayemploy eucalyptus, menthol, camphor, or other such ingredient typicallyused to help address the aforementioned ailments. Of course some ofthese ingredients are readily detected by olfaction, and therefore mayreduce one advantage of the portable device (i.e., others nearby may beable to readily detect when the device is being used by virtue of one ormore optional ingredients being detectable at small concentrations).

In some versions of the invention, these optional ingredients areassociated with the wick. In some representative embodiments, theseingredients are associated with the wick in well-defined bands orregions adapted to be positioned above the surface of the added water.As the water front proceeds upward through the wick, the front contactsone or more bands of optional ingredients, thereby releasing theingredients for detection by a user of the appliance.

Generally the container has a bottom wall, side wall, and top wall. Insome versions of the invention, the container is shaped for aestheticand/or for functional reasons, e.g., the perimeter of the side wall maydefine a curvilinear surface that is easily grasped. Or the perimeter ofthe side wall may be shaped to help channel heat energy and/or thegenerated vapor in a desired way. In some versions of the invention, thetop wall—which generally incorporates the openings through which liquidcomprising water is added to the container and/or through whichgenerated water vapor exits the container—is shaped to help direct theflow of vapor. In some embodiments, the top wall or component thereofmay be adjusted (e.g., rotated) to further facilitate directing heatedwater vapor in a desired direction.

As discussed below, in some versions of the invention liquid comprisingwater need not be added to the container. In some versions of theinvention the container comprises a rupturable cell that contains liquidcomprising water. When a user wishes to activate the portable vaporizer,he or she undertakes an action that ruptures the cell thereby releasingthe liquid comprising water (which generally will both activate thechemical heating engine inside the container, and serve as the liquidsource of the water vapor that is generated by virtue of the heat thatis released by the engine).

In those versions of the invention where liquid comprising water isadded to the container, the container, e.g., the top wall, may be shapedto help reduce the chance that liquid splashes outside of the container.For example, the top wall might be shaped such that its inner surface isanalogous to a hemispherical surface, or portion thereof, with thecurved surface oriented downward toward the rest of the container.

In some versions of the invention, the combination of the chemicalheating engine and wick may be dropped or inserted into the container bya user of the portable vaporizer (e.g., the chemical heating engine andwick may be enclosed in an envelope that the user of the vaporizeropens, and, after retrieving the heating engine/wick assembly, placesaid combination inside an accompanying container).

These and other versions, embodiments, and examples of the invention arediscussed elsewhere in this application.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A representatively illustrates a perspective view of an example ofa portable device of the present invention.

FIG. 1B representatively shows a perspective view of the portable deviceof FIG. 1A with portions of the device cut away to show selectedinternal features.

FIG. 1C representatively illustrates a perspective view of the portabledevice of FIG. 1A with the actuator having been depressed to releasewater.

FIG. 1D representatively shows a perspective view of the portable deviceof FIG. 1C with portions of the device cut away to show selectedinternal features.

FIG. 2A representatively illustrates a perspective view of an example ofa portable device of the present invention.

FIG. 2B representatively shows a plan view of the portable device ofFIG. 2A with portions of the device cut away to show selected internalfeatures.

FIG. 3A representatively illustrates a plan view of an example of aportable device of the present invention with portions of the device cutaway to show selected internal features.

FIG. 3B representatively shows a plan view of the portable device ofFIG. 3A, but rotated 90 degrees, with portions of the device cut away toshow selected internal features.

FIG. 4 depicts a plot of evaporation rate, in grams per minute, versustime, in minutes, for a representative personal vaporizer described inExample 3 below.

FIG. 5 depicts a plot of container temperature, in degrees Celsius,versus time, in minutes, for a representative personal vaporizerdescribed in Example 3 below.

FIG. 6 depicts a plot of evaporation rate, in grams per minute, versustime, in minutes, for a representative personal vaporizer described inExample 4 below.

FIG. 7 depicts a plot of container temperature, in degrees Celsius,versus time, in minutes, for a representative personal vaporizerdescribed in Example 4 below.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the drawings.

DEFINITIONS

Within the context of this specification, each term or phrase belowincludes the following meaning or meanings:

“Attach” and its derivatives refer to the joining, adhering, connecting,bonding, sewing together, or the like, of two elements. Two elementswill be considered to be attached together when they are integral withone another or attached directly to one another or indirectly to oneanother, such as when each is directly attached to intermediateelements. “Attach” and its derivatives include permanent, releasable, orrefastenable attachment. In addition, the attachment can be completedeither during the manufacturing process or by the end user.

“Bond” and its derivatives refer to the joining, adhering, connecting,attaching, sewing together, or the like, of two elements. Two elementswill be considered to be bonded together when they are bonded directlyto one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each isdirectly bonded to intermediate elements. “Bond” and its derivativesinclude permanent, releasable, or refastenable bonding.

“Coform” refers to a blend of meltblown fibers and absorbent fibers suchas cellulosic fibers that can be formed by air forming a meltblownpolymer material while simultaneously blowing air-suspended fibers intothe stream of meltblown fibers. The coform material may also includeother materials, such as superabsorbent materials. The meltblown fibersand absorbent fibers are collected on a forming surface, such asprovided by a foraminous belt. The forming surface may include agas-pervious material that has been placed onto the forming surface.

“Connect” and its derivatives refer to the joining, adhering, bonding,attaching, sewing together, or the like, of two elements. Two elementswill be considered to be connected together when they are connecteddirectly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when eachis directly connected to intermediate elements. “Connect” and itsderivatives include permanent, releasable, or refastenable connection.In addition, the connecting can be completed either during themanufacturing process or by the end user.

“Disposable” refers to articles which are designed to be discarded aftera limited use, such as a single use, rather than being restored forreuse.

The terms “disposed on,” “disposed along,” “disposed with,” or “disposedtoward” and variations thereof are intended to mean that one element canbe integral with another element, or that one element can be a separatestructure bonded to or placed with or placed near another element.

“Elastic,” “elasticized,” “elasticity,” and “elastomeric” mean thatproperty of a material or composite by virtue of which it tends torecover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing adeformation. Suitably, an elastic material or composite can be elongatedby at least about 10 percent (to 110 percent) of its relaxed length andwill recover, upon release of the applied force, at least about 15percent of its elongation. Particularly, an elastic material orcomposite can be elongated by at least about 25 percent (to 125 percent)of its relaxed length and will recover, upon release of the appliedforce, at least about 30 percent of its elongation.

“Extensible” refers to a material or composite which is capable ofextension or deformation without breaking, but does not substantiallyrecover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing theextension or deformation. Suitably, an extensible material or compositecan be elongated by at least 25 percent (to 125 percent) of its relaxedlength.

“Fiber” refers to a continuous or discontinuous member having a highratio of length to diameter or width. Thus, a fiber may be a filament, athread, a strand, a yarn, or any other member or combination of thesemembers.

“Hydrophilic” describes fibers or the surfaces of fibers which arewetted by aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree ofwetting of the materials can, in turn, be described in terms of thecontact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materialsinvolved. Equipment and techniques suitable for measuring thewettability of particular fiber materials or blends of fiber materialscan be provided by a Cahn SFA-222 Surface Force Analyzer System, or asubstantially equivalent system. When measured with this system, fibershaving contact angles less than 90 degrees are designated “wettable” orhydrophilic, and fibers having contact angles greater than 90 degreesare designated “nonwettable” or hydrophobic.

“Layer” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a singleelement or a plurality of elements.

“Liquid impermeable,” when used in describing a layer or multi-layerlaminate means that liquid will not pass through the layer or laminate,under ordinary use conditions, in a direction generally perpendicular tothe plane of the layer or laminate at the point of liquid contact.

“Liquid permeable” refers to any material that is not liquidimpermeable.

“Meltblown” refers to fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplasticmaterial through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillariesas molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity gas (e.g.,air) streams, generally heated, which attenuate the filaments of moltenthermoplastic material to reduce their diameters. Thereafter, themeltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and aredeposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersedmeltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat.No. 3,849,241 to Butin et al. Meltblowing processes can be used to makefibers of various dimensions, including macrofibers (with averagediameters from about 40 to about 100 microns), textile-type fibers (withaverage diameters between about 10 and 40 microns), and microfibers(with average diameters less than about 10 microns). Meltblowingprocesses are particularly suited to making microfibers, includingultra-fine microfibers (with an average diameter of about 3 microns orless). A description of an exemplary process of making ultra-finemicrofibers may be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,881 toTimmons, et al. Meltblown fibers may be continuous or discontinuous andare generally self bonding when deposited onto a collecting surface.

“Member” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a singleelement or a plurality of elements.

“Nonwoven” and “nonwoven web” refer to materials and webs of materialthat are formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knittingprocess. For example, nonwoven materials, fabrics or webs have beenformed from many processes such as, for example, meltblowing processes,spunbonding processes, air laying processes, and bonded carded webprocesses.

“Stretchable” means that a material can be stretched, without breaking,by at least 25 percent (to 125 percent of its initial (unstretched)length) in at least one direction. Elastic materials and extensiblematerials are each stretchable materials.

“Water impermeable,” when used in describing a layer or multi-layerlaminate means that water will not pass through the layer or laminate,under ordinary use conditions, in a direction generally perpendicular tothe plane of the layer or laminate at the point of water contact.

“Water permeable” refers to any material that is not water impermeable.

These terms may be defined with additional language in the remainingportions of the specification.

Description

As noted in the Background section, there are numerous electricaldevices for producing water vapor, many of which are not portable in thesense of helping effect a desired environment near a single useremploying the device, regardless of the user's proximity to anelectrical outlet. The present invention is directed to a portabledevice for effecting such a desired environment for purposes ofaddressing one or more symptoms of an upper respiratory ailment; forpurposes of helping promote a desired emotive state in the useremploying the device; and for other such uses where water vapor, emittedfor a time period of, for example, representative durations identifiedabove, is used to effect an environment desired by the user employingthe device (e.g., by directing heated water vapor and/or heat to aportion of the body to help address pain, stiffness, or other suchcondition). A traditional vaporizer is large and typically not portable(i.e., the device is tethered by an electrical cord to an electricaloutlet; and/or cannot be readily stored in a purse, or carried fromlocation to location when activated). This vaporizer delivers watervapor and/or heat anywhere, anytime, with or without any additional,optional ingredients.

As is described below, the device may comprise a number of differentchemical heating engines. For example, calcium oxide and aluminum can beused to produce the heat necessary to form water vapor. The ingredientsused to generate heat may themselves be contained in a substrate. Forexample, calcium oxide and aluminum are typically in particulate form,and so these materials can be placed in an envelope comprising aliquid-permeable substrate that prevents the chemical ingredients frommigrating outside of the envelope, but which permits liquid/water todiffuse or be transported through the substrate, thereby contacting thechemical ingredient(s) and initiating the chemical reaction thatproduces heat.

A wick is typically interposed between the chemical ingredients and anyvents or ports through which the generated water vapor escapes. In partthis further promotes safe use of the product. If the chemical reaction,and accompanying heat, resulted in any, for example, formation ofmicrobubbles that then break at the water surface, resulting in therelease of small amounts of liquid from the disintegrating air/liquidinterface of the popped bubble, then the wick blocks such release (e.g.,akin to the release of liquid at the surface of a carbonated beverage asbubbles break at the surface).

The wick also serves to increase the total surface area of wateravailable to be heated and driven off. If a heating engine like thatdescribed above is placed at the bottom of a cylindrical glass, andwater is poured over the heating engine such that the heating engine(e.g., a liquid-permeable envelope containing the heat-generatingingredients) is completely submerged, then the available surface areafor heat-driven vaporization is equal to πr², where “r” denotes theinside radius of the glass, and therefore the area of the air/liquidinterface at the top of the column of liquid.

But a wick in certain versions of the present invention serves toincrease the surface area of water for vaporization. Water migrating upthe wick increases the surface area of water available for watermolecules to escape the liquid phase and enter the gas phase—i.e., formwater vapor (this assumes that the wick extends above the surface of theliquid pool in the device). In one version of the invention, the wick isa fibrous substrate that facilitates the migration of water along andthrough the substrate (i.e., by surface diffusion along the surfaces ofthe fiber that make up the substrate; through pores defined by, andbetween, fiber making up the substrate; through any pores in the fibersthemselves, as might occur with wood fiber having lumens, or hollowsynthetic fiber, and which therefore are similar to hollow tubes; andother forms of mass transport along or through the wick). Such transportalong and through the wick can be manipulated by selecting a pore size,surface chemistry, and other such factors that affect mass transport ofwater along and/or through a substrate. If desired, surface activeagents may be used to help promote transport of liquid along and/orthrough a wick.

The wick also serves to at least partially surround (with the term“surround” including a configuration in which the wick is proximate to,and not necessarily adjoined to, the chemical heating ingredients andany liquid-permeable substrate containing the ingredients) some or allof the chemical ingredients with a quantity of water appropriate for theproduction of water vapor over some extended period of time (e.g., forrepresentative time durations identified above).

Water acts like a heat sink. Too much water, and the heat released bythe chemical ingredients will not be sufficient to raise the temperatureof the water to its boiling point. This might occur, for example, if aliquid-permeable envelope containing a few grams of chemical ingredientsfor producing heat is dropped into a beaker of several hundred grams ofwater.

Too little water, and heat produced by the exothermic reaction isreleased rapidly, quickly vaporizing the added water. This might occur,for example, if a low basis-weight, liquid-permeable envelope containinga few grams of chemical ingredients for producing heat is placed influid communication with a pool of water, but with some portion of theenvelope extending above the surface of the water (e.g., with about onequarter of a length dimension of the envelope immersed into the pool ofwater, and with the remaining three quarters of the same lengthdimension extending above the surface of the pool of water). Waterdiffusing or otherwise migrating from the pool of water to and throughthe chemical ingredients and the liquid-permeable envelope wouldparticipate in the exothermic reaction that generates heat. Some of theheat would be absorbed by water, raising its temperature to the boilingpoint of water, thereby vaporizing the water. Some of the heat would bereleased to the surrounding air, because there is insufficient waterenveloping some or all the heat engine extending upward from the surfaceof the pool of water. Heat transferred to the surrounding air would dolittle or no “work” vaporizing water.

It should be noted that if the liquid-permeable envelope was adapted toact like a wick of the present invention—e.g., by selecting a substratefor the envelope that had a higher basis weight, and the capability forconducting more significant quantities of water along or through thesubstrate such that the rate of vapor production was extended over atime period of from about 1 to 2 minutes after at least some portion ofthe heat engine was first activated, to about 7 to 30 minutes after theheat engine was first activated—then the liquid-permeable envelope wouldserve both to contain the chemical ingredients used to produce heat whenwetted with water, and to serve as a wick as described in the presentinvention. But, as noted above, in some versions of the invention vaporis released over relatively short durations, and therefore a thin, lowbasis-weight, liquid-permeable envelope, with a relatively low absorbentcapacity, is employed without any wick-like structure.

These examples bracket, in effect, the kinetics of vapor production.Again: too much water proximate to the chemical ingredients forproducing heat, and the transferred heat will be insufficient to raisethe temperature of the water to its boiling point. Too little waterproximate to the chemical ingredients for producing heat, and thetransferred heat will quickly vaporize all available water, with some ofthe generated heat being transferred to surrounding air, rather thanwater.

A wick, or wick-like structure, employed in some versions of the presentinvention, serves to increase the surface area of water forvaporization, and to provide a quantity of water for vaporization oversome time duration (rather than, as discussed above, failing to achievevaporization at all; or quickly vaporizing all available liquid within,for example, a few minutes after the heating engine is activated—whichis acceptable for some end uses of a portable vaporizer, but would notmeet the needs of those users wishing to operate the vaporizer overlonger durations of time).

One should also note that the wick (e.g., a cellulosic substrate) actsto absorb water, thereby likely reducing the rate at which water isabsorbed into the heat engine. By slowing the rate of water absorbinginto the heat engine, the rate of heat generation is also dampened orreduced. Concurrent with the non-limiting descriptions of otherphenomena associated with employing a wick—e.g., the additional waterenveloping at least some portions of the wick extending above thesurface of any liquid pool, thereby providing a heat sink to absorbreleased heat energy that might otherwise be dissipated in airsurrounding the wick; and the additional air/water interfacial areaprovided by water drawn into the wick, thereby increasing the surfacearea available for water molecules to exit the liquid phase and enterthe gas phase—the wick serves facilitate the production of water vapor.

Before providing additional detail regarding individual components ofthe present invention, one representative embodiment provides anoverview of some of the more general aspects of the present invention.FIG. 1 depicts a portable vaporizer of the present invention. Theportable vaporizer comprises a container 10 having a bottom wall 12, aside wall 14, and a top wall 16. The container may be integrally formed,or one or more of the walls may be formed separately and attached to oneanother (e.g., by using an adhesive; thermal bonding; welding;mechanical connections such as threading, hinges, screws; and the like).In some versions of the invention, one or more walls are releasablyconnected to one another, e.g., a top wall or lid can be attached anddetached to the remainder of the container, possibly allowing a user ofthe portable vaporizer to access the interior—perhaps to insert achemical heating engine or combination of a wick and chemical heatingengine; or to replace a spent chemical heating engine, or combination ofa wick and spent chemical heating engine. The container and/or walls maybe formed in any number of ways (e.g., by molding plastic).

The top wall has at least one opening 18 into which liquid comprisingwater may be added (except for those exemplary embodiments in which theportable vaporizer comprises a rupturable cell containing liquidcomprising water;) and/or through which water vapor exits the container.While FIG. 1 shows an embodiment having openings in the top wall of thecontainer, openings may be placed elsewhere, including in the side wall.

The exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 also comprises a mechanism,in this case a plunger 20 that may be depressed to rupture awater-containing cell contained inside the container 10. As is discussedelsewhere, a rupturable cell containing liquid comprising water, orother such component, may be of any configuration, so long as a user ofthe portable vaporizer is able to activate the vaporizer by rupturing oropening the component containing liquid comprising water. Furthermore, avariety of different mechanisms or designs may be used to facilitaterupturing or opening of the water-containing cell or component. WhileFIG. 1 depicts a representative embodiment employing a plunger, othersubassemblies may be used to open the cell/component (e.g., a pull tab).

Various materials may be used when making the container. Typically amaterial and wall thickness will be selected to optimize the degree ofwarmth perceived by a user of the appliance when touching the containerafter the chemical heating engine has been activated, i.e., a person ofskill in the art will recognize that the thickness and heat-transferproperties of a material affect the increase in temperature over timewhen that material is brought into contact with a heat source. In anappliance of the present invention, once liquid comprising water ispoured into the container, or a water-containing cell within thecontainer is ruptured, then the water will contact the chemical heatingengine and, e.g., an exothermic reaction will result in the release ofheat energy. The released heat energy will increase the temperature ofthe water, ultimately causing some of the water molecules in the liquidphase to go into the gas phase (i.e., produce water vapor). Because thewater is in contact with the container, and the materials with which thecontainer is constructed, heat will also be systematically transferredfrom heated water, whether in the liquid phase or in the gas phase (forthat vapor which is within the container, and perhaps condensing on aninterior surface of the container), to the container. The temperature ofthe container will therefore go up.

In some versions of the present invention, the materials of constructionare selected so that the container acts as an insulator, retaining muchof the heat within the interior of the container. In some versions ofthe invention, the materials of construction, and design parameters, areselected so that a user of the portable vaporizer is able to detect thetemperature increase. Warmth perceived by a user of the appliancetouching the portable vaporizer, perhaps cupping the vaporizer betweenthe palms of his or her hands, may help to promote a desired emotivestate, and may help transmit a signal to a user of the vaporizer thatthe vaporizer is activated and working.

Accordingly, in some versions of the invention, a container's thicknessand the heat-transfer coefficient of the materials with which thecontainer is made are selected so that a temperature increase isdetectable by a user of the portable vaporizer when touching thevaporizer's exterior. In some versions of the present invention, thevaporizer comprises a component adapted to transmit a signal to a user(or caregiver of a user) of the vaporizer, said signal correlating witha temperature increase (e.g., the component could employ, for example,thermochromic materials selected to change color as the external surfaceof the container increases in temperature after the chemical heatingengine is activated). The signal could be somewhat utilitarian—to conveyto a user of the vaporizer that the device was activated and working; orthe signal, by choosing appropriate colors, and perhaps matching and/orcombining said colors with one or more scents, can help produce one ormore emotive states. Also, color-changing ingredients might be used in,or as part of, a simple graphic. For example, one graphic could comprisean outline of the shape of the vaporizer itself in a non-color-changingdye. Above the image of the vaporizer, color-changing dyes could be usedto outline simple “s” shapes or analogous iconic images that convey theidea of heat rising from the container itself. So, for example, when theportable vaporizer is not activated, only the image of the outline ofthe vaporizer itself would be visible. Once the vaporizer was activated,however, the selected color-changing dye used to portray the heat iconabove the vaporizer would go from a colorless state to a colored state(e.g., red), thereby indicating to a user that the portable vaporizerwas activated. Of course such graphic symbol would be in addition toother signals showing that the vaporizer was operating (e.g., the visualqueue of vapor rising from the container itself; any auditory queue—suchas bubbling; the tactile sensation of the container's warm outer surfaceafter activation of the vaporizer; etc.).

If aromatic ingredients are used, they may be deployed in selectedregions on the wick such that water sequentially releases these aromaticingredients as it transports along and/or through the wick. Furthermore,any visual queue, such as that described above with thermochromicingredients changing color as the temperature of the portable vaporizerincreases, may be selected such that different scents are released atdifferent times after the chemical engine is activated, with differentcolor changes occurring proximate in time (as temperature increases) tothese differing releases of scent.

The shape of the container may be such that the exterior surface has acurvilinear perimeter, with an outside diameter that changes along thelongitudinal axis of the container. The outside diameter may be selectedsuch that the container is easily and safely held in the hand, or hands,of a user. In some versions of the present invention, a handle or otherprotrusion emanates from the surface of the container to facilitate auser holding the vaporizer.

The surface of the container may also be shaped to have an undulating orrippled surface, in some cases adapted to allow a user to place one ormore of his or her individual fingers into channels, grooves, or thelike.

The openings that allow water vapor to exit and/or liquid to be pouredinto the container (for those versions of the invention not having aninternal component, such as a water-containing, rupturable cell, toprovide the water necessary to both activate the chemical heating engineand source for producing water vapor) may be of any shape or number.

The top wall can be shaped in a variety of ways. For certain versions ofthe invention, the top wall can be shaped to help direct water vapor ina specific amount and/or direction. In some embodiments, the top wall,or some portion thereof, is rotatable or otherwise adjustable, therebyallowing a user to direct water vapor in a specific direction. Also, thetop wall can have an inwardly concave surface that allows a user to pourwater into the container with minimal spilling (for those versions ofthe invention where water is added).

A logo, image, icon, graphic, text, or other such visual may beassociated with the container to help promote a given emotive state inthe user of the portable vaporizer, e.g., the container might display agraphic of the ying/yang symbol, peace symbol, other symbols evoking the1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, images frommovie posters, images from album/CD covers, images from books,quotations from books, and the like.

FIG. 1B representatively shows a perspective view of the container 10 ofFIG. 1A with portions of the device cut away to show selected internalfeatures depicts. As with FIG. 1A, plunger 20 has not yet been presseddownward. The bottom of the plunger is proximate to the wick 22, whichin the depicted embodiment takes the shape of an inverted “U” (i.e., theopen end of the U-shaped wick is oriented downward, and the curvilinearportion of the U is oriented upward, proximate to the plunger). Achemical engine 24 is positioned within the U-shaped wick, in this caseproximate to the curvilinear portion of the wick. As noted above, thechemical engine can be, for example, solid chemical ingredientscontained in a liquid-permeable sleeve that allows water to pass thoughthe sleeve and contact the chemical ingredients, but which substantiallyimpedes migration of the chemical ingredients outward through thesleeve. In the depicted embodiment, water 26 is located at the bottom ofcontainer 10 in a rupturable cell. For example, a substrate 28 (a film,cellophane, foil, or other such web; perhaps scored or otherwisemodified to facilitate breakage) adapted to break under pressure may beemployed. Also, a mechanical component may be employed to helpfacilitate breakage of the cell, such as employing something like prongs30 (which, in the depicted embodiment, may also help stabilize the wickand/or the combination of the wick and chemical engine; such prongs orother such components may also be used to help keep the wick and/orchemical engine centrally located within the portable vaporizer, therebyensuring that air is interposed between the inner surface of thecontainer and the wick and/or chemical engine—in this way air, typicallyviewed as an insulating medium compared to many other materials, helpsto reduce the amount of heat transferring to the wall of the container).

Another optional element is a mechanical component that helps retain thewater in a specific location within the container. In the representativeversion depicted in FIG. 1B, a sleeve 32 is adapted to fit over at leasta portion of the rupturable cell containing water.

As noted elsewhere in the application, the portable vaporizer may employa number of optional ingredients. These ingredients may be dissolved,suspended, or otherwise in the water contained in the rupturable cell.Alternatively, such ingredients may be associated with the wick and/orchemical engine. Or such ingredients may be associated with otherportions of the container, such as interior surfaces of the side walland/or top wall. These ingredients may be of the type that theingredients must contact water and/or water vapor before they will beborne into the environment proximate to the portable vaporizer, andtherefore available for detection by a user of the appliance.

FIG. 1C representatively illustrates a perspective view of the portabledevice of FIG. 1A with the actuator or plunger 20 having been depressedto release water.

FIG. 1D representatively shows a perspective view of the portable deviceof FIG. 1 C with portions of the device cut away to show selectedinternal features. The plunger 20 is in a depressed position. Therupturable cell has been broken, with prongs 30 and portions of theinverted-U-shaped wick 22 extending into the cell and water 26. In therepresentative version depicted in FIG. 1D, the chemical engine 24 doesnot extend into the water when the portable vaporizer is activated bydepressing the plunger. Instead, water would migrate up the wick, andthrough the sleeve and to the chemical ingredients, thereby activatingthe chemical heating engine 24. The released heat would then provide theenergy necessary to elevate the temperature of water associated with thewick, ultimately resulting in water molecules leaving the liquid phaseand entering the gas phase. Furthermore, the released heat would helpcreate upward movement such that the generated water vapor would moveupward, through, and out the openings 18. As noted earlier, in therepresentative version depicted in FIG. 1D, a sleeve 32 partiallyencloses top and side portions of the rupturable cell when the plungeris depressed.

The preceding paragraphs describe one representative embodiment of aportable vaporizer of the present invention. Subsequent sections provideadditional detail on certain components of the present invention; aswell as additional representative versions of the present invention.

Representative Heating Engines

A number of different ingredients may be employed to release the heatnecessary to produce water vapor. For example, various combinations ofingredients capable of participating in an exothermic chemical reactionmay be used. Typically the ingredient types and amounts will be selectedsuch that at least some quantity of water reaches a temperature of 100degrees Celsius within about 1 to 5 minutes after the portable vaporizerhas been activated. If desired, additives may be used to alter theboiling point of water. Note too that other physical characteristics maybe chosen to affect the amount or rate at which heat is being generated(e.g., particle size, particle surface area, and the like).

For some embodiments of the present invention, the chemical reactantscan be, for example: salts or blends of salts, having relatively highexothermic heats of solution; and water. Many such combinations aredisclosed generally in the technical and patent literature. Also,reactants participating in exothermic acid-base neutralization reactionsmay be employed in the present invention. Again, many such combinationsof reactants are known and are disclosed in the literature. As notedelsewhere, one example of useful commentary in this technical area is aJanuary 2001 report by TDA Research, Inc., entitled “Applications of NewChemical Heat Sources Phase 1.” Heating chemistries are also describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,486, entitled “Portable Heat Source,” and whichon its face is dated 10 Aug. 1999, and which is incorporated byreference in its entirety in a manner consistent herewith. Somepotentially useful chemistries include AlCl₃ and MgO; FeCl₃ and MgO;AlCl₃ and CaO; FeCl₃ and CaO; C₄H₄O₃ and CaO; other combinations, suchas combinations including oxides of metals (e.g., magnesium, calcium,and the like); and use of certain oxides of metals alone (e.g.,hydration of calcium oxide). That is, chemical ingredients for use inchemical heating engines of the present invention may include calciumoxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum, aluminum chloride, ferric chloride,di-phosphorous pentoxide, magnesium, magnesium chloride, magnesium/ironalloy, iron, and/or succinic anhydride, and/or combinations thereof, andthe like. Of course, for use in products purchased by consumers, productsafety, flammability, toxicity, and other such characteristics areconsidered when selecting a chemical heating engine.

As detailed below in the Examples section, straightforward calculationsknown to those of skill in the art may be employed to determine thetypes and amounts of safe and efficacious ingredients needed to producethe amount of heat (typically measured in calories) necessary to raisethe temperature of a selected quantity of water to its boiling point.Such calculations may be used when designing a personal vaporizer of thepresent invention. In one version of a method for designing a personalvaporizer of the present invention, the volume and shape of thecontainer are selected. Chemical ingredients that participate in anexothermic reaction in the presence of water are also selected, with theexothermic reaction corresponding to a theoretical heat of reaction(often measured by the unit calories, or calories per gram ofreactant(s)). Also, the amount of water that a user of the personalvaporizer will either add, or release from a rupturable cell inside thecontainer, is selected, with the amount of water corresponding to atheoretical caloric input needed to raise the temperature of someportion of the selected mass of water from about 20-22 degrees Celsiusto the water's boiling point, and then vaporize said water. (Note:dissolved ingredients may alter the liquid's boiling point, such thatthe liquid's boiling point is not 100 degrees Celsius.) Basicstoichiometric calculations that account for the theoretical heat ofreaction and theoretical caloric input may then be used to calculate themass of selected chemical ingredients that is theoretically sufficientto vaporize at least some portion of the selected mass of water (byraising the temperature of some portion of the selected mass of waterfrom something like room temperature to the water's boiling point). Aprototype of the portable vaporizer may then be made in accordance withthe present teachings. The prototype is then tested by activating thepersonal vaporizer, either by adding the selected amount of water(which, as noted elsewhere, may include other ingredients), or byrupturing any cell holding the selected amount of water (including anyoptional ingredients).

Simple experimental designs known to those of skill in the art may beused to optimize the design of a personal vaporizer (e.g., bymanipulating certain dependent variables, such as the type and amount ofchemical ingredients, in a simple factorial design, and then evaluatinga selected independent variable, such as grams of water vapor producedper unit time). The design of a personal vaporizer may also be optimizedthrough consumer use tests (i.e., participants are given workingprototypes which they then use, either in a controlled setting, or athome, and then give qualitative or quantitative feedback which can beevaluated to determine which prototype is perceived as best meetingidentified need(s) of the use-test participant). Or, as noted above, thedesign might be optimized by measuring certain independent variables(e.g., by measuring the decrease in mass, over time, of the operatingvaporizer, thereby giving a measurement of the amount of water vaporbeing produced over time). For purposes of this application, the term“optimize” refers to either: (1) selecting one prototype personalvaporizer from a plurality of prototypes of personal vaporizers usingqualitative and/or quantitative data obtained, at least in part, fromresponses by participants in a use test evaluating the plurality ofprototypes of personal vaporizers; or (2) selecting one prototypepersonal vaporizer from a plurality of prototypes of personal vaporizersusing one or more measurements of performance of the plurality ofprototypes of personal vaporizers (e.g., by measuring the mass of vaporproduced per unit time; by measuring the time duration over which asubstantial portion of the water vapor is produced; by measuring thetemperature at the exterior of the container during operation of theprototype; by measuring the amounts or types of volatile materialsreleased by the prototype during its operation; etc.).

Representative Optional Ingredients

A number of optional ingredients may be employed in a portable device ofthe present invention. A number of optional ingredients, or agents, areadapted to be detected by olfaction and include perfumes, essences,fragrance oils, and so forth. As is known in the art, many essentialoils and other natural plant derivatives contain large percentages ofhighly volatile scents. In this regard, numerous essential oils,essences, and scented concentrates are commonly available from companiesin the fragrance and food businesses. Exemplary oils and extractsinclude, but are not limited to, those derived from the followingplants: almond, amyris, anise, armoise, bergamot, cabreuva,,calendula,canaga, cedar, chamomile, coconut, eucalyptus, fennel, jasmine, juniper,lavender, lemon, orange, palm, peppermint, quassia, rosemary, thyme, andso forth.

Many fragrances have colors associated with the fragrance. For example,the color lavender or purple is often associated with a lavender scent;the color yellow is often associated with a chamomile scent, a daffodiland the like; the color red is often associated with a rose scent andthe like; and the color green is often associated with the scents ofaloe, wintergreen and the like. Accordingly, the color of aportable/personal vaporizer of the present invention, or some portionthereof, and one or more scents may be selected to help create a themelike that just described.

As noted above, a personal vaporizer may be used, alone or inconjunction with other articles of manufacture, to evoke, in the mind ofthe user of the personal vaporizer, a desired psychological or emotivestate. For example, the visual design, any optional scent, color, sound,etc., may be such that the portable vaporizer helps evoke a spa-likeexperience for the user of the appliance. Such experiences are generallycharacterized by terms like “pampering,” “refreshing,” “rejuvenating,”“getting away,” “peace,” “comfort,” “relaxation,” and the like.Accordingly, the product design, function, package, and informationcharacterizing the product may be tailored to help establish aconnection in the mind of a consumer between use of the portablevaporizer of the present invention and a spa-like experience.

Alternatively, the portable/personal vaporizer may be designed to helpalleviate one or more symptoms of upper-respiratory health problems(e.g., cold, flu, allergy, sinus problems, etc.). For such uses, avaporizer may include menthol, eucalyptus, camphor, and other suchingredients. When the portable vaporizer is activated, a user canposition his or her face relative to the vaporizer so that he or she isbreathing in the vapors. Any optional ingredients, such as menthol, maybe employed to further help address upper-respiratory health symptomsthat the user is seeking to address.

As noted above, the vaporizer can be used to direct water vapor and/orheat to fingers, joints, and other parts of the body where heat energycan be used to help alleviate pain, stiffness, etc. Or a personalvaporizer may be used to direct water vapor and/or heat to skin ortissue to, for example, open pores, or supply moisture.

Representative Wick Materials

A number of different materials may be used when making a wick for aportable device of the present invention. The wick could be a sponge,fibrous web, whether woven or nonwoven (and whether made of wood fiber,some other natural fiber, synthetic fiber, or some combination thereof)or other substrate. Generally the wick will be porous so that watermigrating along and/or through the wick associates with a sufficientamount of solid surface to help increase the surface area of liquidwater from which water molecules may escape into the gas phase, therebycreating water vapor.

Nonwoven materials may be used to make the wick. If a nonwoven materialis used, then commercially available thermoplastic polymeric materialscan be advantageously employed in making the fibers or filaments fromwhich the wick is formed. As used herein, the term “polymer” shallinclude, but is not limited to, homopolymer, copolymers, such as, forexample, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers,etc., and blends and modifications thereof. Moreover, unless otherwisespecifically limited, the term “polymer” shall include all possiblegeometric configurations of the material, including, without limitation,isotactic, syndiotactic, random and atactic symmetries. As used herein,the terms “thermoplastic polymer” or “thermoplastic polymeric material”refer to a long-chain polymer that softens when exposed to heat andreturns to the solid state when cooled to ambient temperature. Exemplarythermoplastic materials include, without limitation, polyvinylchlorides, polyesters, polyamides, polyfluorocarbons, polyolefins,polyurethanes, polystyrenes, polyvinyl alcohols, caprolactams, andcopolymers of the foregoing.

Nonwoven webs that can be employed in making the wick can be formed by avariety of known forming processes, including spunbonding, airlaying,meltblowing, or bonded carded web formation processes. Spunbond nonwovenwebs are made from melt-spun filaments. As used herein, the term“meltspun filaments” refers to small diameter fibers and/or filamentswhich are formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material asfilaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular, capillaries of aspinneret with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidlyreduced, for example, by non-eductive or eductive fluid drawing or otherwell known spunbonding mechanisms. Lastly, the melt-spun filaments aredeposited in a substantially random manner onto a moving carrier belt orthe like to form a web of substantially continuous and randomlyarranged, melt-spun filaments. Spunbond filaments generally are nottacky when they are deposited onto the collecting surface. Theproduction of spunbond nonwoven webs is described in U.S. Pat. No.4,340,563 to Appel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,538 to Peterson, and U.S. Pat.No. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al., all of which are incorporated herein byreference. The melt-spun filaments formed by the spunbond process aregenerally continuous and have average diameters larger than 7 micronsbased upon at least 5 measurements, and more particularly, between about10 and 100 microns. Another frequently used expression of fiber orfilament diameter is denier, which is defined as grams per 9000 metersof a fiber or filament.

Spunbond webs generally are stabilized or consolidated (pre-bonded) insome manner immediately as they are produced in order to give the websufficient integrity and strength to withstand the rigors of furtherprocessing into a finished product. This pre-bonding step may beaccomplished through the use of an adhesive applied to the filaments asa liquid or powder which may be heat activated, or more commonly, bycompaction rolls. As used herein, the term “compaction rolls” means aset of rollers above and below the nonwoven web used to compact the webas a way of treating a just produced, melt-spun filament, particularlyspunbond, web, in order to give the web sufficient integrity for furtherprocessing, but not the relatively strong bonding of later applied,secondary bonding processes, such as through-air bonding, thermalbonding, ultrasonic bonding and the like. Compaction rolls slightlysqueeze the web in order to increase its self-adherence and thereby itsintegrity.

An exemplary secondary bonding process utilizes a patterned rollerarrangement for thermally bonding the spunbond web. The rollerarrangement typically includes a patterned bonding roll and a smoothanvil roll which together define a thermal patterning bonding nip.Alternatively, the anvil roll may also bear a bonding pattern on itsouter surface. The pattern roll is heated to a suitable bondingtemperature by conventional heating means and is rotated by conventionaldrive means, so that when the spunbond web passes through the nip, aseries of thermal pattern bonds is formed. Nip pressure within the nipshould be sufficient to achieve the desired degree of bonding of theweb, given the line speed, bonding temperature and materials forming theweb. Percent bond areas within the range of from about 10 percent toabout 20 percent are typical for such spunbond webs.

Coform, wetlaid, airlaid, and or other such formed webs may be used whenmaking a wick. Furthermore, the wick may be stratified, incorporatingdifferent materials in different layers through the thickness of thewick. As noted elsewhere, various kinds of natural fiber may be used,including various kinds of fiber derived from mechanical,chemi-mechanical, chemi-thermomechanical, and chemical pulps, whetherbleached or unbleached. Also, fiber (e.g., natural fiber) may becross-linked or otherwise treated so that substrates comprising thefiber possess higher bulk and porosity.

The wick may be formed in a way that a desired pore structure is definedby the fibers making up a web, i.e., a web, if employed as a wick, maybe formed such that the fibers making up the web define a pore structurethat facilitates capillary action (to facilitate a drawing up of waterfrom the bottom of the container into, and up and through the wick, orat least a portion thereof). Generally smaller pores increase capillaryforces acting on water. But a web with smaller pores may have a loweroverall absorbent capacity (defined, e.g., by determining the grams ofwater absorbed per gram of web under specified test conditions).

As stated elsewhere, the wick may employ one or more optionalingredients that are associated with the wick itself. One or moresurfactants may be associated with synthetic fiber, for example, to makethe fiber more hydrophilic, thereby helping promote migration of wateralong the wick itself. Also, as noted above, one or more optionalingredients that are employed may be associated with the wick, and thenreleased when the portable vaporizer is activated. For example, aningredient could be printed, sprayed, coated, brushed, or otherwiseassociated with the substrate or web that will serve as the wick in theportable vaporizer. To the extent that a liquid carrier (e.g., water) isused when associating an optional ingredient with the substrate, thenthe substrate can be air dried, with or without heat or other energy, toremove some or all of the water, thereby leaving a dry, or substantiallydry ingredient associated with the substrate. As noted above, aplurality of ingredients may be associated with the substrate such thatdifferent ingredients are released as the front of water proceeds alongthe wick once the portable vaporizer is activated (akin to a solventfront moving along a substrate during a chromatographic analysis).

The wick may be attached to the chemical heating ingredients and anywater-permeable envelope encasing said ingredients in a number of ways.For example, the chemical heating ingredients and any water-permeableenvelope encasing said ingredients may be sandwiched between two layersof substrate, with the two layers connected to each other in some way(e.g., by adhesively bonding, sewing, stapling, fusing, thermallybonding, welding, ultrasonically bonding, or otherwise attaching someportion of each of the two layers to one another). Alternatively, thechemical heating ingredients and any water-permeable envelope encasingsaid ingredients may be wound up in a substrate (e.g., bycircumferentially wrapping the ingredients and/or envelope in thesubstrate, perhaps in multiple layers such that a cross section of theassembly of the wick/chemical ingredients/and any water-permeableenvelope encasing the ingredients shows the wick to resemble a spiralform around the remainder of the assembly).

Representative Containers

Typically plastic or other such polymeric material is used to make acontainer of the present invention. For example, the bottom wall, sidewall, and top wall may be made of polypropylene, polyethylene,high-density polyethylene, polytetrafluorethylene, polyvinylidenefluoride, Nylon 6, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene,polyethersulfone, and other such polymeric materials. As stated above,one or more of the bottom wall, side wall, and top wall may beintegrally formed with one another. Or one or more of these componentsmay be formed separately and joined to one another. Furthermore, one ormore of these components may be releasably engaged to one another. As anexample, a separately formed top wall may be threaded in such a way thatthe top wall can be screwed onto the uppermost lip of the sidewall,which would be threaded to receive the top wall. The top wall could bethreaded onto the side wall after application of an adhesive, solvent,or other material to fuse, weld, or join the two components together sothat they are not releasably engaged. Alternatively, the top wall couldbe threaded onto the side wall so that the components are releasablyengaged. For some versions of the present invention, such an embodimentmay be used if the container employs one or more replaceable components,such as a replaceable wick/chemical engine, i.e., after the portablevaporizer is used, the wick/chemical engine is disposed of. Before auser employed the portable vaporizer again, a new wick/chemical engineis inserted into the vaporizer. Also, one or more walls of the containermay be attached to insulating materials that help prevent the loss ofheat through said walls. For example, various kinds of shrink-wrapmaterials may be applied to one or more walls of the container. Suchmaterials may also be adapted to receive inks or other coloring agentsso that logos, images, graphics, textual strings, and other suchvisually detectable characters are associated with the container (e.g.,by printing on the shrink wrap material).

Typically the internal volume of the container will be less than about40 ounces, suitably less than about 30 ounces, more suitably less thanabout 25 ounces, particularly less than about 20 ounces, andparticularly less than about 15 ounces, but more than about 5 ounces.

As noted above, various designs of the container, wick, chemical heatingengine, and any optional, water-containing, rupturable cell arepossible, so long as the device, once activated, releases water vaporand any optional ingredients to help effect a desired environmentproximate to the portable device. Also, in some versions of theinvention any liquid-permeable envelope enveloping the chemicalingredients that compose the heating engine may be made so that theenvelope possesses a wick-like function. Or, in some versions, no wickis employed, and instead the chemical heating engine is adapted toproduce vapor over shorter time durations. But because a wick (or ahigher basis-weight envelope possessing sufficient liquid absorbentcapacity) provides those versions employing a wick with desirabletechnical features discussed elsewhere, representative versions of thepresent invention will typically have a wick or wick-like feature.

Additional Representative Versions of Portable Vaporizers of the PresentInvention

Some versions of a portable vaporizer of the present invention aredescribed above.

FIG. 2A representatively illustrates a perspective view of anotherexample of a portable device of the present invention. Container 40comprises a bottom wall, a side wall, and a top wall. The top wallincorporates openings through which a pull tab 42 extends.

FIG. 2B representatively shows a perspective view of the portable deviceof FIG. 2A with portions of the device cut away to show selectedinternal features. A chemical heating engine 44 is sandwiched betweenportions of a wick 46 that has the general shape of an inverted “U”,with the chemical heating engine positioned proximate to the curvilinearportion of the U shape. The wick is attached to the bottom of thecontainer. A rupturable cell 48 contains water 50, with the cellattached to the pull tab 42.

FIG. 3A representatively illustrates a plan view of another example of aportable device of the present invention with portions of the device cutaway to show selected internal features. In this depicted embodiment,the container does not comprise a rupturable cell containing liquidcomprising water. Instead, a user adds liquid comprising water to thecontainer through the openings in the top. In one version of theinvention, different amounts of water may be recommended, therebyeffecting the chemical reaction(s) employed by the heat engine togenerate heat (e.g., as more water is added, there becomes available alarger and larger “heat sink” for the generated heat, therebypotentially decreasing the overall temperature increase corresponding tothe heat energy that is released to, and absorbed by, the water; also,depending on how much water is added, the chemical engine may beentirely above the water level, partially immersed in the added water,or fully immersed in the added water, which may impact, for example, therate of reaction—e.g., if the chemical engine relies on an exothermicsolvation reaction, and therefore water serves as a reactant in theheat-generating reaction). This in, in turn, affects performance of theportable vaporizer.

In the depicted embodiment, a chemical engine 60 is positioned within awick 62. The wick is attached to the bottom of the container.

FIG. 3B representatively shows a plan view of the portable device ofFIG. 3A, but rotated 90 degrees, with portions of the device cut away toshow selected internal features.

Representative Business Arrangements by Which a Business Entity can Havean Appliance Designed and/or Assembled by Other Business Entities

One business entity (e.g., a seller-such as a person, partnership,corporation, or the like) may work with one or more other businessentities under a variety of business arrangements such that otherbusiness entities participate in the design and/or assembly of aportable vaporizer of the present invention. Often a business entityworks with one or more business entities in other countries where theprevailing wage structure offers lower overhead and/or direct laborand/or other costs associated with making a product. Alternatively, onebusiness entity works with another so each is able to specialize inactivities viewed as that entity's core competency. Thus one companyhaving knowledge about consumers' preferences for products in a givenproduct category, e.g., products addressing skin care, may work withanother business entity that is good at making products, or componentsof such products. Accordingly, one business entity may work with one ormore other business entities under a business arrangement such that saidone or more other business entities design, assemble, and/or market aportable/personal vaporizer of the present invention.

In one example of a business arrangement, a seller in the United Statessells a portable vaporizer of the present invention that is assembled byanother business entity (e.g., an entity—e.g., a contractmanufacturer—in China with manufacturing expertise in the area of makingproducts comprising nonwoven; and/or in the area of plastics and/orinjection molding to make plastic containers or components; and/or inthe area of designing and/or making chemical heating engines orcomponents thereof). Frequently the seller will provide some or all ofthe specifications for the product based on the seller's knowledge ofthe United States market for that specific product (e.g., the price thata U.S. consumer is typically willing to pay for a product of that type;some or all of the product specifications such that the product providesthe anticipated benefit(s) sought by the consumer when purchasing theproduct; etc.). In some business arrangements, the seller and overseasmanufacturer may collaborate to optimize product performance and cost ofgoods sold for the intended marketing niche.

In another example of a business arrangement, a seller in the UnitedStates sells a portable vaporizer that is assembled by business entitiesin another country (e.g., China, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Brazil,etc.), with each business entity undertaking one or more activitiesunder the business arrangement (e.g., one entity forms a substrate orweb that is used when making the wick; one entity forms the plasticcontainer into which the wick is inserted; one company forms thechemical heating engine that will be employed in the portable vaporizer;etc.).

In another example of a business arrangement, a seller in the UnitedStates engages in activities in which one or more business entities inanother country participate in the design of a personal vaporizer of thepresent invention.

Such business arrangements will typically implicate negotiatedagreements, most of which are put into written form and signed. Butarrangements can also include oral understandings between businessentities. Frequently a business arrangement is made well in advance ofone entity selling a product that is designed and/or made and/ormarketed through the efforts of more than one business entity, perhapsone, two, or more years prior to the business entities undertakingactivities to design, make, and sell the product (e.g., a portablevaporizer of the present invention).

Representative Methods by Which a User may Employ a Portable Vaporizerof the Present Invention

A user may use a portable vaporizer of the present invention to helpalleviate symptoms of a cold, flu, allergy, sinus problem, and the like.Typically such ailments are accompanied by symptoms such as congestionin one or more nasal or respiratory passages. To help relieve symptomsof such upper-respiratory illnesses, a portable vaporizer is positionedin the hands of a user suffering from such symptoms. The user thenintroduces water to the container, either by pouring water into thecontainer, or by releasing water held by a cell inside the container.Once the water is added or released, the chemical heating engine andwick employed by the portable vaporizer are in fluid communication withat least a portion of the water. For purposes of this application, theterm “fluid communication” means that the component, such as a wick,either directly contacts water, or indirectly contacts water—as throughsome intermediate component or components that contact, and are able toconduct or transmit, some portion of the contacted water so that it thencontacts the wick.

Once the added water contacts the chemical ingredients of the heatingengine, heat is released (e.g., through an exothermic reaction). Thereleased heat is transferred to the water, causing the water'stemperature to rise. As portions of the water reach a temperature at orabove the water's boiling point, the water is vaporized. A user of theactivated vaporizer may then position the vaporizer so that he or she isable to inhale some portion of the vapor that is being produced (alongwith any optional ingredients, such as menthol, eucalyptus, or camphor).

A user may also use a portable vaporizer of the present invention tohelp achieve a desired emotive state. Typically such a vaporizer is madeavailable to a purchaser/user in a package/receptacle having a statementon, in, or proximate to said package/receptacle that associates thevaporizer with one or more desired emotive states (or other features orattributes of the personal/portable vaporizer), such as those signifiedby the following alphanumeric strings: “personal”, “vapor”, “relief”,“well”, “convenience”, “convenient”, “disposable”, “soothe”, “soothing”,“aroma”, “allergy”, “portable”, “non-electrical”, “warm”, “warmth”,“heat”, “pamper”, “pampering”, “ritual”, “spa”, “treatment”, “system”,“effective”, “disposable”, “botanical”, “vitamin”, “relax”, “peace”,“energy”, “energize”, “sex”, “sensuality”, “sensual”, “spirit”,“spiritual”, “clean”, “fresh”, “mountain”, “country “zest”, “sea”,“sky”, “health”, “hygiene”, “water”, “waterfall”, “refresh”, “recharge”,“rejuvenate”, “mind”, “senses”, “aromatherapy”, “harmony”, “balance”,“revitalize”, “invigorate”, “stimulate”, “caress”, “uplift”, “relief”,“biosphere”, “space”, and derivatives thereof. To help induce such anemotive state in the mind of a user of the personal vaporizer, areceptacle bearing one or more such alphanumeric strings, the receptaclecontaining one or more personal vaporizers, is placed in the hands of auser. The user opens the receptacle to access a personal vaporizer. Theuser then introduces water to the vaporizer's container, either bypouring water into the container, or by releasing water held by a cellinside the container. Once the water is added or released, the chemicalheating engine and wick employed by the portable vaporizer are in fluidcommunication with at least a portion of the water.

Once the added water contacts the chemical ingredients of the heatingengine, heat is released (e.g., through an exothermic reaction). Thereleased heat is transferred to the water, causing the water'stemperature to rise. As portions of the water reach a temperature at orabove the water's boiling point, the water is vaporized. A user of theactivated vaporizer may then position the vaporizer so that he or she isable to detect—by sight, or smell, or touch, or sound, or somecombination of these-one or more signals effected by the operatingvaporizer.

In another version of the invention, a user may use a portable vaporizerto direct heat and/or energy to skin or tissue to, for example, openpores and/or provide moisture to the contacted skin or tissue. To dothis, a portable vaporizer is positioned in the hands of a user. Theuser then introduces liquid comprising water to the container, either bypouring the liquid into the container, or by releasing liquid held by acell inside the container. Once the liquid comprising water is added orreleased, the chemical heating engine and wick employed by the portablevaporizer are in fluid communication with at least a portion of theliquid. For purposes of this application, the term “fluid communication”means that the component, such as a wick, either directly contactswater, or indirectly contacts water-as through some intermediatecomponent or components that contact, and are able to conduct ortransmit, some portion of the contacted water so that it then contactsthe wick.

Once the added water contacts the chemical ingredients of the heatingengine, heat is released (e.g., through an exothermic reaction). Thereleased heat is transferred to the water, causing the water'stemperature to rise. As portions of the water reach a temperature at orabove the water's boiling point, the water is vaporized. A user of theactivated vaporizer may then position the vaporizer so that he or she isable to direct the heated vapor, plus any optional ingredients, to aselected part of the body (e.g., elbow, knee, face, hand, feet, etc.).

Representative Media and Methods bv which Consumers. Users, and/orOthers May be Made Aware of a Portable Device of the Present Invention

A manufacturing company or retailer may use a number of different mediaand ways to communicate to consumers that a portable vaporizer isavailable to help address the symptoms of upper-respiratory ailments; orto help effect a environment that helps evoke an emotive state sought bya user of the portable vaporizer (e.g., those feelings or experiencesassociated with the term “spa”); or for helping open the pores of skin;or to treat, as through the transmitting of heat, skin, tissue, muscles,etc.; or for other such uses.

The manufacturer or distributor of a portable vaporizer of the presentinvention may fashion messages, statements, or copy to be transmitted ormade available to a purchaser, consumer, or user of said disposableabsorbent article. Such messages, statements, or copy may be fashionedto help facilitate or establish an association in the mind of a user ofthe vaporizer between a portable vaporizer of the present invention, oruse thereof, and one or more mental states, psychological states, statesof well being, emotions, feelings, experiences, or the like. Thecommunication, statements, or copy may include various alphanumericstrings, including, for example: “personal”, “vapor”, “relief”, “cold”,“flu”, “headache”, “congestion”, “sinus”, “pressure”, “release”, open”,“airway”, “space”, “well”, “convenience”, “convenient”, “disposable”,“soothe”, “soothing”, “aroma”, “menthol”, “eucalyptus”, “camphor”,“allergy”, “portable”, “non-electrical”, “warm”, “warmth”, “heat”,“pamper”, “pampering”, “ritual”, “spa”, “treatment”, “system”,“effective”, “disposable”, “botanical”, “vitamin”, “relax”, “peace”,“energy”, “energize”, “sex”, “sensuality”, “sensual”, “spirit”,“spiritual”, “clean”, “fresh”, “mountain”, “country”, “zest”, “sea”,“sky”, “health”, “hygiene”, “water”, “waterfall”, “refresh”, “recharge”,“rejuvenate”, “mind”, “senses”, “aromatherapy”, “harmony”, “balance”,“revitalize”, “invigorate”, “stimulate”, “caress”, “uplift”, “relief”,“biosphere”, or derivatives or combinations thereof. It should be notedthat each term appearing in quotes in the preceding list may be in anyfont, style, color, etc.—and the quotes likely would not appear aroundthe term when the term is employed. These alphanumeric strings may beused either alone, adjacent to, or in combination with, otheralphanumeric strings.

In one embodiment, the communication, statements, or copy associate aportable vaporizer of the present invention and the ability to create apersonal environment or atmosphere. In another embodiment, thecommunication, statements, or copy associate a portable vaporizer of thepresent invention with breathing comfort. In another embodiment, thecommunication, statements, or copy associate a portable vaporizer of thepresent invention with heating, treating, or providing moisture to skinor tissue. In another embodiment, the communication, statements, or copyassociate a personal vaporizer of the present invention and a registeredor common-law trademark of the seller, manufacturer, and/or distributorof the portable vaporizer. In another embodiment, the communication,statements, or copy associate a portable vaporizer of the presentinvention and a registered or common-law trademark of the seller,manufacturer, and/or distributor of a second article of manufacturerthat may be used in conjunction with the portable vaporizer. Forexample, a manufacturer or seller of the portable vaporizer mightco-promote the vaporizer, and its brand name, logo, or trademark, withthe trademark, brand name, and/or logo of a pain reliever, decongestant,facial tissue, expectorant, lozenges or other products designed toalleviate symptoms of a sore throat, or other products adapted toaddress the various symptoms associated with cold, flu, allergies,congestion, and the like. Alternatively, a manufacturer or seller of theportable vaporizer might co-promote the vaporizer and its brand name,logo, or trademark, with the trademark, brand name, and/or logo ofproducts typically associated with helping provide a spa-likeexperience, e.g., aromatherapy (such as that provided by candles,incense, electrical or other devices for producing one or more aromas,etc.); devices for producing color; devices for producing sounds, suchas sound machines adapted to produce sounds reminiscent of the beach,rain, thunder, etc.; and the like). Or a manufacturer or seller of theportable vaporizer might co-promote the vaporizer and its brand name,logo, or trademark, with the trademark, brand name, and/or logo ofproducts typically associated with treating, moisturizing, or caring forskin, e.g., moisturizing lotions or pads; exfoliating formulations orpads; formulations comprising beneficial skin-treatment agents, such asemollients, humectants, vitamins, microspheres, antioxidants, and othersuch agents; heating-therapy ointments; etc.

Messages, copy, statements, and/or alphanumeric strings like thosereferred to above may be used either alone, adjacent to, or incombination with, other alphanumeric strings. The communication,statements, message, or copy could take the form of (i.e., be embodiedin a tangible medium such as) a newspaper advertisement, a televisionadvertisement, a radio or other audio advertisement, items maileddirectly to addressees, items emailed to addresses, Internet Web pagesor other such postings, free standing inserts, coupons, variouspromotions (e.g., trade promotions), co-promotions with other companies,copy and the like, boxes and packages and/or receptacles containing theproduct (in this case an appliance of the present invention), and othersuch forms of disseminating information to consumers or potentialconsumers.

It should be noted that when associating statements, copy, messages, orother communications with a package/receptacle (e.g., by printing text,images, symbols, graphics, color(s), or the like on thepackage/receptacle; or by placing printed instructions in thepackage/receptacle; or by associating or attaching such instructions, acoupon, or other materials to the package/receptacle; or the like)containing one or more portable vaporizers of the present invention, thematerials of construction of said package/receptacle may be selected toreduce, impede, or eliminate the passage of water or water vapor throughat least a portion of the package/receptacle. Furthermore, the materialsof construction of said package/receptacle may be selected to minimizeor impede the passage of light through said package/receptacle,including minimizing or impeding the passage of electromagnetic waves ofa selected wavelength or wavelengths.

For purposes of this application, “packages,” “envelopes,” “bags,”“packets,” “receptacles,” and the like are interchangeable in the sensethat they refer to any material adapted to enclose and hold eitherindividual personal vaporizers (as in, for example, an individual packetcontaining a single personal vaporizer), or a plurality of personalvaporizers (as in a flexible bag made of film or plastic containercontaining a plurality of personal vaporizers, whether or not each ofthe individual vaporizers are enclosed and held in a separatematerial—such as individual packets).

In some embodiments of the present invention, a package/receptacle willcontain not only one or more portable vaporizers of the presentinvention, but other articles of manufacture. For example, a secondarticle of manufacture might be one or more of those described in thepreceding paragraphs (e.g., a pain reliever, decongestant, facialtissue, expectorant, lozenges or other products designed to alleviatesymptoms of a sore throat, or other products adapted to address thevarious symptoms associated with cold, flu, allergies, congestion, andthe like; aromatherapy products (such as that provided by candles,incense, electrical or other devices for producing one or more aromas,etc.); devices for producing color; devices for producing sounds, suchas sound machines adapted to produce sounds reminiscent of the beach,rain, thunder, etc.; moisturizing lotions or pads; exfoliatingformulations or pads; formulations comprising beneficial skin-treatmentagents, such as emollients, humectants, vitamins, microspheres,antioxidants, and other such agents; heating-therapy ointments; and manyother such articles of manufacture that may be used in combination witha personal/portable vaporizer of the present invention). It should benoted that such combinations may be marketed and packaged as describedin the preceding paragraphs.

Reference now will be made to various embodiments of the invention,examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by wayof explanation of the invention, not as a limitation of the invention.In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made of this invention withoutdeparting from the scope or spirit of the invention.

EXAMPLES Prophetic Example 1

A suitable container, like that used for Great Value™ brand coffeecreamer (with a net weight of 8 ounces), a product available at Wal-Martstores, and with a shape and appearance like that depicted in FIG. 1A(along with a screw-on cap described in more detail below), is used. Thecontainer is made of a high density polypropylene, and has an internalvolume of about 400 cubic centimeters. The container is molded into ashape which is easy to hold and which can accept a suitable screw-on cap(or top) (again, similar to the representative version depicted in FIG.1A, but without a plunger protruding through the top wall).

For the representative version formed for this example, a screw-on cap,adapted to screw on to the aforementioned polyethylene bottle, is madewith a polymeric material, Objet Veroblue Full Cure 830, available fromObject Geometries, Inc., 133 Bridge Street, Manchester, Mass. 01944. Thescrew-on cap—i.e., the top wall of the container-is formed to haveopenings radiating outward from the center of the cap (again, analogousto the flower-like pattern of openings depicted in the top wall of therepresentative version shown in FIG. 1A, but with no actuator or plungerprotruding through the top wall).

A polystyrene shrink-wrap material available under the designator PWSL,WSLO, COEX-PLASTI-SHIELD, SPI-WRAP, TRI-PLAS, PLASTI-GRIP LABELS isobtained from American Fuji Seal, 1051 Bloomfield Road, Bardstown, Ky.40004. This material is applied to the exterior surface of the side wallof the container. The shrink-wrap material serves to further insulatethe container against heat loss, and may serve as a medium or surface onwhich statements, graphics, logos, or other such images or alphanumericcharacters may be associated (e.g., through printing).

A suitable heat engine is obtained from a survival ration package,available under the designator HotPack® Meals available from Canland UK,Ltd. The product employs a heat engine containing a mixture of aluminumpowder and calcium oxide powder.

According to the known heats of solution and heats of reaction foraluminum powder and calcium oxide powder, a heat engine weighingapproximately 20 to 30 grams could theoretically deliver about 15,000 to20,000 calories of heat when activated by the addition of a suitableamount of water. This amount of heat will adequately heat and vaporizewater for a portable vaporizer according to the following example.

If the desired rate and duration of water evaporation from a portablevaporizer is approximately 0.8 grams of water per minute for a durationof 15 minutes, a chemical heat engine can be utilized which produces therequired calories of heat to evaporate 12 grams of water. (0.8grams/minute×a 15 minutes=12 grams). Evaporating 12 grams of waterrequires a minimum theoretical amount of 6500 calories of heat based onthe heat of vaporization of water being 540 calories/gram. Accordingly,the chemical heat engine is sized to produce more than 6500 caloriesbecause of typical thermal losses and inefficiencies in heat transfer aswell as the additional need for heat to increase the temperature of thewater from starting temperature up to 100 deg. C. For example if 50grams of water is added to the vaporizer for activation and the water isat 20 deg. C starting temperature, then an additional theoretical amountof heat equal 50 grams×1 cal/gram/deg. C.×(100−20) degrees C.=4000calories.

A wick is wrapped circumferentially around the heat engine. In thisrepresentative example, a high-porosity, cellulosic pulp sheet sold asHPZ pulp by Buckeye Technologies is employed as the wick. BuckeyeTechnologies reports that this pulp has a Frazier porosity of 305 cubicfeet per minute per square foot and a bulk of 6.3 cubic centimeters pergram. The pulp sheet is determined to have a basis weight of about 800grams per square meter, and is measured as having an absorbent capacitybetween about 4.5 to 5.5 grams of water per gram of pulp sheet. Theabsorbency is determined by placing a pulp sheet in a 2000 milliliterbeaker filled with tap water at room temperature. The sheet is droppedinto the beaker—without a weight placed on the sheet-and allowed tobecome fully immersed in the water. Typically the sheet is left in thewater for 1 minute, and then removed. After allowing excess water todrip from the pulp sheet for 15 seconds, the mass of the sheet isdetermined. By measuring the mass of the sheet before it's immersion inwater, and subtracting this mass from the mass of the sheet with water,the mass of absorbed water (for this test) can be determined. The totalweight of the wick in this representative example is about 14 grams,with a total area of about 185 square centimeters. The substrate iswrapped around the heat engine in circumferential fashion such that theengine is completely enveloped by the wick.

The aforementioned representative version of a portable vaporizer of thepresent invention is activated by adding 50 mL of water through theopening in the top wall and into the container. After approximately 1-2minutes, visible steam is observed coming through the openings in thetop wall. The temperature of the outer surface of the side wall of thecontainer rises above 45 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes but does notexceed 55 degrees Celsius. After approximately 1-2 minutes, an audible“bubbling” provides a sensory cue to the user that the vaporizer isfunctioning.

Prophetic Example 2

The same representative embodiment described in Prophetic Example 1 ismade, with the exception that approximately 0.25 grams of a fragrance isapplied either in substantially parallel bands across the 4-inch widthof the wick, or by placing droplets on the wick's surface at variouslocations. This representative version of the vaporizer operates in afashion similar to that described in Prophetic Example 1, with the addedfeature that fragrance is detected for approximately 15 minutes afterinitial activation of the portable vaporizer.

Example 3

A suitable container, like that used for Great Value™ brand coffeecreamer (with a net weight of 8 ounces), a product available at Wal-Martstores, and with a shape and appearance like that depicted in FIG. 1A(along with a screw-on cap described in more detail below), was used.The container is made of a high density polypropylene, and has aninternal volume of about 400 cubic centimeters. The container is moldedinto a shape which is easy to hold and which can accept a suitablescrew-on cap (or top) (again, similar to the representative versiondepicted in FIG. 1A, but with out a plunger protruding through the topwall).

A polystyrene shrink-wrap material available corresponding to designator11 mil Thermo-Shield® Coex Plasti-Shield was obtained from American FujiSeal, 1051 Bloomfield Road, Bardstown, Ky. 40004. Two layers of thismaterial were applied to the exterior surface of the side wall of thecontainer. To do so, a 240 mm×122 mm piece was wrapped to produce acylinder with the ends fixed to each other using 0.5″ Scotch® Branddouble-sided tape #9482PC01003091118. There was approximately 0.5″ ofoverlap between the polystyrene ends. The cylinder was placed around thecontainer and heat shrunk to attach it firmly to the container using acommercial MHT heat gun 750. Two such applications were made to producea container with two layers of insulating material. The shrink-wrapmaterial serves to further insulate the container against heat loss.

A commercial heat engine, designated as an Individual Flameless Heater,was obtained from a HotPack® Self-Heating Nutritious Meal sold byCanland UK (Hot Pack) Ltd., Wellington House Lower Icknield Way LongwickBucks HP27 9RZ United Kingdom. The Individual Flameless Heater weighedapproximately 27.3 grams. This chemical engine was made up of anonwoven, liquid-permeable envelope having three separate compartments,i.e., the envelope—which had overall dimensions of 12 centimeters by 16centimeters—was itself divided into three compartments, with thenonwoven material joined or fused in such a way that the chemicalingredients—a fine powder of aluminum and calcium oxide—within eachcompartment could not migrate between said compartments. The lines atwhich the nonwoven facings were joined to one another to create thecompartments were located 5.3 cm and 10.6 cm from one end of theenvelope (along the 16 centimeter dimension). In this example, twocompartments were used from the Individual Flameless Heater for use asthe vaporizer's heat engine to provide a mass of about 14.4 grams ofreactive chemical.

A high-porosity, cellulosic pulp sold as HPZ pulp by BuckeyeTechnologies Inc., 1001 Tillman Memphis, Tenn. 38112, was employed asthe wick. The HPZ pulp was obtained in bale/sheet form with a thicknessof 0.124 cm and cut to dimensions of 17.8 cm×10.2 cm. The total weightof the wick was approximately 14.2 grams with a total area of about 181square centimeters. Buckeye Technologies reports that this pulp sheet ashaving a Frazier porosity of 305 cubic feet per minute per square footand a bulk of 6.3 cubic centimeters per gram. The pulp sheet wasdetermined to have a basis weight of about 800 grams per square meterand an absorbent capacity between about 4.5 to 5.5 grams of water pergram of pulp sheet. The absorbent capacity was determined by placing apulp sheet in a 2000 milliliter beaker filled with tap water at roomtemperature. The sheet was dropped into the beaker—without a weightplaced on the sheet—and allowed to become fully immersed in the water.Typically the sheet was left in the water for 1 minute, and thenremoved. After allowing excess water to drip from the pulp sheet for 15seconds, the mass of the sheet was determined. By measuring the mass ofthe sheet before it's immersion in water, and subtracting this mass fromthe mass of the sheet with water, the mass of absorbed water wasdetermined.

Two compartments of the heat engine were folded along the seam where thenonwoven facings were joined to one another to form the twocompartments—one on top of the other, resulting in a chemical enginewith approximate dimensions of 12 cm by 5.3 cm. The compartments weremanipulated so that the fine powder contained therein (i.e., thechemical ingredients of the chemical heat engine), were spreadrelatively uniformly throughout the interior of each of the twocompartments. The 12 cm dimension of the chemical engine was alignedflush with the 10.2 cm dimension of the wick. The wick was then wrappedaround the heat engine in circumferential fashion such that the engineis completely enveloped by the wick on all vertical sides, forming acylinder-like wick-and-heat-engine assembly. Excess material of theliquid-permeable envelope was folded inward so that the heat engine wasentirely within the wick. The outermost ends of the wick were fixed tothe rest of the wick material using staples at both the top and bottomof the resulting, cylinder-like wick/heat engine assembly.

A screw-on cap, adapted to screw on to the aforementioned polyethylenebottle, was made with a polymeric material, Objet Veroblue Full Cure830, available from Object Geometries, Inc., 133 Bridge Street,Manchester, Mass. 01944. The screw-on cap—i.e., the top wall of thecontainer—was formed to have openings radiating outward from the centerof the cap to provide an area that would allow water to be pouredthrough it and allow the passage of vaporized water and/or fragrance.The cap also had vertical protrusions extending downward to attach tothe wick and heat engine assembly. The overall appearance of the cap, ortop wall, was much like that depicted in FIG. 1A, with the exceptionthat there was no central opening to accommodate a plunger, and noplunger assembly inserted through such central opening. The other,flower-like arrangement of openings was present in the screw-on cap.

The downwardly extending protrusions are analogous to the prongs 30depicted in FIG. 1B, except: (1) the prongs/protrusions in thisrepresentative example were shorter, extending about 5 cm from the innersurface of the central location of the top wall into the interior of thecontainer, and (2) the prongs/protrusions in this representative examplewere fewer in number—2 rather than 4.

The wick and heating engine assembly was attached to the cap using thecap protrusions/prongs. The prongs were inserted into the cylinder-like,chemical-heat-engine/wick assembly. A suitable fragrance in the amountof about 0.25 g was added to the exterior surface of the upper portionof the wick (i.e., that portion of the wick closer to the top wall)using a dropper. The cap was then screwed onto the container. Thevaporizer weighed 81.5 grams fully assembled without water. 80 grams oftap water at 20 deg. C. was added by pouring the water from a beakerinto the vaporizer through the openings in the cap.

The surface of the pool formed by the added water was approximately 2.1cm from the bottom of the container. Thus approximately 2 cm of the wickwas submersed in the water, with the remaining 8.2 cm extending abovethe surface of the water to a location proximate to the inner surface ofthe top wall (with prongs/protrusions extending inwardly from the topwall into the wick/heat-engine structure). Within the cylinder-like,chemical-heat-engine/wick assembly, approximately 2.1 cm of theliquid-permeable envelope of the chemical engine was submersed, withapproximately 8.2 cm extending above the surface of the water (becausethe nonwoven, liquid-permeable envelope was folded somewhat, the totalof 10.2 cm is less than the fully extended dimension of 12 cm).Fragrance added to the wick was above the surface of the pool of water.

Steam was visible after about 3 minutes and an audible bubbling soundprovided an additional cue to the user that the vaporizer wasfunctioning. The average rate of water evaporated was 1.4 gram/minuteduring the interval from min 5 to minute 15 (see FIG. 4). The totalamount of water evaporated was 21 grams in 20 minutes of vaporizeroperation.

The exterior temperature of the vaporizer was measured on the outsidesurface of the insulating material using an infrared thermometer. Afterapproximately 3 minutes, the exterior temperature of the vaporizer rosefrom approximately 20 degrees Celsius to approximately 55 degreesCelsius and maintained that temperature for a duration of more than 10minutes (see FIG. 5). This temperature provided warmth that wasdetectable to the user and provided a signal to the user that thevaporizing was functioning. Fragrance was detected proximate to thisrepresentative example of a portable/personal vaporizer for a durationof at least 20 minutes.

Example 4

A suitable container, like that used for Great Value™ brand coffeecreamer (with a net weight of 8 ounces), a product available at Wal-Martstores, and with a shape and appearance like that depicted in FIG. 1A(along with a screw-on cap described in more detail below), is used. Thecontainer is made of a high density polypropylene, and has an internalvolume of about 400 cubic centimeters. The container is molded into ashape which is easy to hold and which can accept a suitable screw-on cap(or top) (again, similar to the representative version depicted in FIG.1A, but without a plunger protruding through the top wall).

A polystyrene shrink-wrap material available under the designator 11 milThermo-Shield® Coex Plasti-Shield was obtained from American Fuji Seal,1051 Bloomfield Road, Bardstown, Ky. 40004. Two layers of this materialwere applied to the exterior surface of the side wall of the container.To do so, a 240 mm×122 mm piece was wrapped to produce a cylinder withthe ends fixed to each other using 0.5″ Scotch® Brand double-sided tape#9482PC0 003091118. There was approximately 0.5″ of overlap between thepolystyrene ends. The cylinder was placed around the container and heatshrunk to attach it firmly to the container using a commercial MHT heatgun 750. Two of such applications were made to produce a container withtwo layers of insulating material. The shrink-wrap material serves tofurther insulate the container against heat loss.

A commercial heat engine, designated as an Individual Flameless Heater,was obtained from a HotPack® Self-Heating Nutritious Meal sold byCanland UK (Hot Pack) Ltd., Wellington House Lower Icknield Way LongwickBucks HP27 9RZ United Kingdom. The Individual Flameless Heater weighedapproximately 27.3 grams. This chemical engine was made up of anonwoven, liquid-permeable envelope having three separate compartments,i.e., the envelope—which had overall dimensions of 12 centimeters by 16centimeters—was itself divided into three compartments, with thenonwoven material joined or fused in such a way that the chemicalingredients—a fine powder having the appearance of aluminum and calciumoxide—within each compartment could not migrate between saidcompartments. The lines at which the nonwoven facings were joined to oneanother to create the compartments were located 5.3 cm and 10.6 cm fromone end of the envelope (along the 16 centimeter dimension). In thisexample, all three compartments were used from the Individual FlamelessHeater for use as the vaporizer's heat engine to provide a mass of about21.6 grams of reactive chemical.

A high-porosity, cellulosic pulp sold as HPZ pulp by BuckeyeTechnologies Inc., 1001 Tillman Memphis, Tenn. 38112, was employed asthe wick. The HPZ pulp was obtained in bale/sheet form with a thicknessof 0.124 cm and cut to dimensions of 17.8 cm×10.2 cm. The total weightof the wick was approximately 14.2 grams with a total area of about 181square centimeters. Buckeye Technologies reports that this pulp sheethas a Frazier porosity of 305 cubic feet per minute per square foot anda bulk of 6.3 cubic centimeters per gram. The pulp sheet was determinedto have a basis weight of about 800 grams per square meter and anabsorbent capacity between about 4.5 to 5.5 grams of water per gram ofpulp sheet. The absorbency was determined by placing a pulp sheet in a2000 milliliter beaker filled with tap water at room temperature. Thesheet was dropped into the beaker—without a weight placed on thesheet—and allowed to become fully immersed in the water. Typically thesheet was left in the water for 1 minute, and then removed. Afterallowing excess water to drip from the pulp sheet for 15 seconds, themass of the sheet was determined. By measuring the mass of the sheetbefore it's immersion in water, and subtracting this mass from the massof the sheet with water, the mass of absorbed water was determined.

The three compartments of the heat engine were folded along the seamswhere the nonwoven facings were joined to one another to form the threecompartments—one on top of the other, resulting in a chemical enginewith approximate dimensions of 12 cm by 5.3 cm. The compartments weremanipulated so that the fine powder contained therein (i.e., thechemical ingredients of the chemical heat engine), were spreadrelatively uniformly throughout the interior of each of the threecompartments. The 12 cm dimension of the chemical engine was alignedflush with the 10.2 cm dimension of the wick. The wick was then wrappedaround the heat engine in circumferential fashion such that the enginewas completely enveloped by the wick on all vertical sides, forming acylinder-like wick-and-heat-engine assembly. Excess material of theliquid-permeable envelope was folded inward so that the heat engine wasentirely within the wick. The outermost ends of the wick were fixed tothe rest of the wick material using staples at both the top and bottomof the resulting, cylinder-like wick/heat engine assembly.

A screw-on cap, adapted to screw on to the aforementioned polyethylenebottle, was made with a polymeric material, Objet Veroblue Full Cure830, available from Object Geometries, Inc., 133 Bridge Street,Manchester, Mass. 01944. The screw-on cap—i.e., the top wall of thecontainer—was formed to have openings radiating outward from the centerof the cap to provide an area that would allow water to be pouredthrough it and allow the passage of vaporized water and/or fragrance.The cap also had vertical protrusions extending downward to attach tothe wick and heat engine assembly. The overall appearance of the cap, ortop wall, was much like that depicted in FIG. 1A, with the exceptionthat there was no central opening for a plunger assembly, and no plungerassembly inserted through such central opening. The other, flower-likearrangement of openings was present in the screw-on cap.

The downwardly extending protrusions are analogous to the prongs 30depicted in FIG. 1B, except: (1) the prongs/protrusions in thisrepresentative example were shorter, extending about 5 cm from the innersurface of the central location of the top wall into the interior of thecontainer, and (2) the prongs/protrusions in this representative examplewere fewer in number—2 rather than the 4 depicted in FIG. 1B.

The wick and heating engine assembly was attached to the cap using thecap protrusions/prongs. The prongs were inserted into the cylinder-like,chemical-heat-engine/wick assembly. A suitable fragrance in the amountof about 0.25 g was added to the exterior surface of the upper portionof the wick (i.e., that portion of the wick closer to the top wall)using a dropper. The cap was then screwed onto the container. Thevaporizer weighed 81.5 grams fully assembled without water. 100 grams oftap water at 20 deg. C. was added by pouring the water from a beakerinto the vaporizer through the openings in the cap.

The surface of the pool formed by the added water was approximately 2.5cm from the bottom. Thus approximately 2.5 cm of the wick was submersedin the water, with the remaining 7.7 cm extending above the surface ofthe water to a location proximate to the inner surface of the top wall(with prongs/protrusions extending inwardly from the top wall into thewick/heat-engine structure. Within the cylinder-like,chemical-heat-engine/wick assembly, approximately 2.5 cm of theliquid-permeable envelope of the chemical engine was submersed, withapproximately 7.7 cm extending above the surface of the water (becausethe nonwoven, liquid-permeable envelope was folded somewhat, the totalof 10.2 cm is less than the fully extended dimension of 12 cm).Fragrance added to the wick was above the surface of the pool of water.

Steam was visible after about 2-3 minutes and an audible bubbling soundprovided an additional cue to the user that the vaporizer wasfunctioning. The average rate of water evaporated was 2.4 gram/minuteduring the interval from min 5 to minute 15 (see FIG. 6). The totalamount of water evaporated was 37.1 grams in 20 minutes of vaporizeroperation and 39.88 grams in 25 minutes of vaporizer operation.

The exterior temperature of the vaporizer was measured on the outsidesurface of the insulating material using an infrared thermometer. Afterapproximately 2 minutes, the exterior temperature of the vaporizer rosefrom about 24 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius and maintainedthat temperature for a duration of about 10 minutes (see FIG. 7). Thistemperature provided warmth that was detectable to the user and provideda signal to the user that the vaporizing was functioning. Fragrance wasdetected proximate to the vaporizer for a duration of at least 20minutes.

1. A personal vaporizer, the vaporizer comprising: a container adapted to contain liquid, the container comprising a body having a bottom wall, at least one sidewall connected to said bottom wall, and an opposing top wall connected to said sidewall, wherein the top wall has at least one opening; a water-activated, chemical heating engine located inside said container; and a wick located proximate to said chemical heating engine.
 2. The vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the chemical heating engine, wick, or both are connected to the vaporizer.
 3. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the container defines an interior volume less than about 30 ounces.
 4. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the container defines an interior volume of less than about 15 ounces.
 5. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the wick comprises a fibrous substrate.
 6. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the wick is disposed between the water-activated, chemical heating engine and the top wall.
 7. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the vaporizer is adapted to be discarded after a single use.
 8. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 further comprising a rupturable cell containing liquid, wherein said cell is adapted to release liquid upon a user of the personal vaporizer rupturing the cell.
 9. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 further comprising indicia of a consumer products manufacturer disposed on said vaporizer.
 10. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 further comprising an agent adapted to be detected by olfaction.
 11. The personal vaporizer of claim 10 wherein said agent is disposed in or on the wick.
 12. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 further comprising an information assembly adapted to sense temperature and transmit a signal to a user or caregiver, said signal corresponding to the sensed temperature.
 13. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the water-activated, chemical heating engine comprises calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum, aluminum chloride, ferric chloride, di-phosphorous pentoxide, magnesium, magnesium chloride, magnesium/iron alloy, iron, and/or succinic anhydride, and/or combinations thereof.
 14. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the chemical heating engine comprises a liquid-permeable envelope.
 15. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the container comprises an insulating material.
 16. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the water-activated, chemical heating engine is releasably connected to said container.
 17. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the combination of a water-activated, chemical heating engine and wick are releasably connected to said container.
 18. The personal vaporizer of claim 16 or 17 wherein the vaporizer is adapted to be re-used upon replacement of a water-activated, chemical heating engine that has contacted liquid.
 19. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 wherein the top wall is adjustable.
 20. A package comprising a receptacle, and the article of claim 1 in said receptacle, wherein a statement is disposed on or in said receptacle, and wherein said statement associates the article with an alphanumeric string.
 21. The package of claim 20 wherein the alphanumeric string is “personal”, “vapor”, “relief”, “cold”, “flu”, “headache”, “congestion”, “sinus”, “pressure”, “release”, “open”, “airway”, “space”, “well”, “convenience”, “convenient”, “disposable”, “soothe”, “soothing”, “aroma”, “menthol”, “eucalyptus”, “camphor”, allergy”, “portable”, “non-electrical”, “warm”, “warmth”, “heat”, “pamper”, “pampering”, “ritual”, “spa”, “treatment”, “system”, “effective”, “disposable”, “botanical”, “vitamin”, “relax”, “peace”, “energy”, “energize”, “sex”, “sensuality”, “sensual”, “spirit”, “spiritual”, “clean”, “fresh”, “mountain”, “country”, “zest”, “sea”, “sky”, “health”, “hygiene”, “water”, “waterfall”, “refresh”, “recharge”, “rejuvenate”, “mind”, “senses”, “aromatherapy”, “harmony”, “balance”, “revitalize”, “invigorate”, “stimulate”, “caress”, “uplift”, “relief”, “biosphere”.
 22. The package of claim 20 wherein the statement associates the article with a logo and/or brand name of a product adapted to alleviate the symptoms of cold, flu, asthma, allergy, or sinusitis.
 23. The package of claim 20 further comprising a second article of manufacture.
 24. A message embodied in a tangible medium adapted to be communicated to consumers comprising a statement referring to the personal vaporizer of claim
 1. 25. A personal vaporizer, the vaporizer comprising: a container adapted to contain liquid, the container comprising a body having a bottom wall, at least one sidewall connected to said bottom wall, and an opposing top wall connected to said sidewall, wherein the top wall has at least one opening; a water-activated, chemical heating engine located inside said container, the chemical heating engine comprising a liquid-permeable envelope, and one or more chemical ingredients inside said envelope. 